ROBERT COATES, ESQ the Amateur of Fashion. Published November 17.1814 bv R S. Kirby 11 London House Yard KIRBY'S WONDERFUL AND ECCENTRIC MUSEUM; OR, MAGAZINE OF REMARKABLE CHARACTERS. INCLUDING ALL THE CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, FROM THE REMOTEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME, ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS, CHIEFLY TAKEN FROM RARE AND CURIOUS PRINTS OR ORIGINAL DRAWINGS. VOL. V. LONDON: R. S. KIRBY, LONDON HOUSE YARD, ST. PAUL'S. WHEN a man chooses to jump upon a pedestal, and exhibits himself to every passer-by, he must not be surprised if the finger of curiosity be pointed at him, or that mankind will examine with no little sharpness of criticism, his pretensions for becoming a prominent character. Mr. Coates has done this; and while we enter into a correct detail of his merit or demerit, he has only to thank himself, for exciting in us a desire to analyze the true or false medium through which he has arrived at notoriety. The publications of the day have affirmed that this gentleman is a West Indian, and born in the island of Antigua; that he is the seventh, and only surviving son of nine children; and that his father was born April 16 (old style) 1734, and died Nov. 12, 1807, and that Mr. Coates's parents were people of very high respectability in that part of the world, who during the space of 73 years, had accumulated a large fortune. But we have been told, that this is not altogether correct, Mr. Coates's father being in fact originally a cooper at Donnegal, in Ireland. It is also said, that the Amateur of Fashion repaired early in life to the West Indies, after learning his father's business, where he commenced the business of cooper, and afterwards became a clerk. At length his uncle died, leaving his fortune to his two nephews, one of whom dying also, left his share to his brother Robert; and this, united with his own, enabled the subject of our memoir to commence gentleman. For this purpose he returned to England, where he had received his early education, and then first repaired to Bath, where he sported the most whimsical curricle that the imagination of man can conceive. It was literally covered with brass cocks; the saddle of the horses (weighing fourteen pounds), as well as the buttons and buckles of the harness, and every ornament that could be turned into a cock, wore the resemblance of that biped; even the buttons on his servants' coats were stamped with a cock; it could not therefore be supposed that a set out in this style, could long remain without notice. Mr. Coates's manners, which partook of, as he supposed, so much the high-bred gentleman, soon brought him into notice he visited several fashionable parties, and with no little flattery, he fancied himself qualified for the stage. He had for some time obtained the appellation of the Amateur of Fashion, a title that was highly gratifying to him, and firmly believing he deserved it, he attempted to take the -lead in every thing new. Long before Mr. Coates had attained his present celebrity, we were in the habit of being addressed by a person. at the theatre, in a criticism on the play then performing; but considering, from his strange manner, that he was under the dominion of insanity, or the workings of the jolly god, we scarce heeded these marginal notes. The peculiar coat, however, which he has had made, on purpose to show his shapes, which he thinks fine, we soon found was the vulgar cover that enrobed the limbs of an Amateur of Fashion, |